New figures published today have revealed that Scottish salmon farms have reported a 98 percent survival rate for September, which is generally the most challenging month for farm-raised salmon. This year’s mortalities come in at around half of those experienced in 2023, when increased sea temperatures and blooms of jellyfish led to low survival rates.
In order to improve salmon survival rates, the stakeholders in the Scottish aquaculture sector have invested £975 million into fish health and welfare advancements since 2018, including freshwater treatment vessels, staff training, and improved monitoring systems to help farmers respond to natural challenges such as jellyfish blooms and seawater temperature fluctuations.
Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, commented on the high survival rates, comparing them to the high mortality rates of wild salmon populations, which face an array of additional environmental and biotic pressures, such as predation, during the sea phase of their life cycle.
“The care our farmers provide means that survival rates for farm-raised salmon – which spend up to 18 months in the sea – are dramatically higher than their wild cousins. It is testament to the dedication of farmers that survival rates on Scottish salmon farms are now at the highest level since 2020,” Scott said, in a press release.
